Oil spill approaches Thailand’s coastline

Bangkok, Jan 28 (EFE).- A five-ton oil spill was located one kilometer from Thailand’s coast, about 190 kilometers (118 miles) southeast of Bangkok on Friday, environmentalists reported.

Marine biologist Thon Thamrongnawasawat posted aerial images on Facebook of the oil spill threatening to reach Mae Ramphung beach, a popular local tourist destination located near the Samet Island Nature Park.

Star Petroleum Refining, the company responsible for the spill that occurred on Tuesday in a marine buoy used to store crude 20 kilometers off the coast of Rayong province, said Wednesday night that they have been able to control the spill and reduce it from the initially estimated 20 – 50 tons to about 5 tons.

Several planes are taking part in the cleanup, including a C-130 from a Malaysian company, with the aim of dissolving and cleaning the crude oil, according to the Thai company.

The Thai Navy, the Marine Resources Department and other government agencies are also involved in the cleanup.

On Wednesday, the chief of the Department of Disease Control, Opas Karnkawinpong, had denied that the spill would contaminate local seafood.

In 2013, the island of Samed, which is part of the Rayong province, was affected by a 50-ton oil spill caused by a pipeline of the state-owned company PTT. EFE

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